Red supergiant

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/red-supergiant

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is Red supergiant?Approximately 8 to 25 solar masses
2. What is the surface temperature range?3,000 to 4,000 Kelvin
3. What is the typical radius range?200 to over 1,500 solar radii
4. How big are red supergiants compared to the Sun?Their radii can be hundreds or even over a thousand times the Sun's radius, so if placed where the Sun is, their surface would reach beyond Mars or even Jupiter.
5. Why do red supergiants look red?They are cooler on the surface, with temperatures around 3,000 to 4,000 Kelvin, which makes their light appear red.

Nucleosynthesis: The process by which new atomic nuclei are created from pre-existing nucleons and nuclei.
Stellar Winds: A stream of charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of a star.
Type II Supernova: A supernova that results from the core collapse of a massive star.